Georgia residents now permitted to carry guns into bars and churches

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal on Wednesday signed a bill that expands gun rights in the state, drawing both howls of protest and words of praise.

Called “the most comprehensive pro-gun reform bill in state history” by the National Rifle Association, the new state law allows licensed owners to bring guns into bars without restriction; into some government buildings; and, with the approval of congregation leaders, into houses of worship. It takes effect July 1.

Deal, a Republican, said the measure had bipartisan support. And indeed, Jason Carter, a Democratic state senator and a grandson of President Jimmy Carter, voted for the bill. Carter is challenging Deal for the governor’s mansion.

“People who follow the rules can protect themselves and their families from people who don’t follow the rules,” Deal said, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “The Second Amendment should never be an afterthought. It should reside at the forefronts of our minds.”

A provision allowing the carrying of guns on campuses was among those that did not make it into the law.

The law is formally titled the Safe Carry Protection Act but has been dubbed the “guns-everywhere bill” by critics.